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Chapter 10 Human Geography of Latin America: A Blending of Cultures
Latin America’s native civilizations and varied landscapes, resources, and colonial influences have left the region with a diverse cultural mix.
SLIDE 2 Section 1: Mexico Section 2: Central America and the Caribbean Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America Section 4: Brazil
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Section 1: Mexico
• Native and Spanish influences have shaped Mexico. • Mexico’s economy may expand because of democracy and trade.
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Section 1: Mexico
Colonialism and Independence
Native Americans and the Spanish Conquest • Native peoples: Teotihuacán (a city-state), Toltecs, Maya, Aztecs • Spanish conquest—Hernando Cortés lands on Mexican coast in 1519 - Spaniards march to Tenochtitlán (site of Mexico City today) - conquest is complete by 1521
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Continued Colonialism and Independence
Colony and Country • Gold, silver make Mexico important part of Spanish empire • Agustín de Iturbide leads 1821 Mexican independence, becomes emperor • In mid-1800s Benito Juarez leads reform, becomes president, seeks: - separation of church, state - better education - more even distribution of land
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1 Continued Colonialism and Independence
Colony and Country • Porfirio Diaz follows Juarez; his harsh, corrupt rule lasts 30 years • Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata lead revolution - new 1917 constitution gives half of farmland to peasants
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Continued Colonialism and Independence
One-Party Rule • Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)—new political party in 1929 - brings stability, but democracy undermined by fraud and corruption • National Action Party’s Vicente Fox becomes president in 2000 - PRI’s 71-year control ends, Mexico becomes more democratic
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A Meeting of Cultures
The Aztecs and the Spanish • Aztec empire in Valley of Mexico centers on capital, Tenochtitlán - Cortes and Spanish destroy capital, build Mexico City on ruins • Spanish bring own language, religion; Indian heritage stays strong - large mestizo population—mixed Spanish, Native American heritage
Mexican Painters • Mural painters portray history; Frida Kahlo known for self-portraits
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Continued A Meeting of Cultures
An Architectural Heritage • Native Americans constructed beautiful pyramid temples, palaces • Spanish built missions, huge cathedrals
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Economics: Cities and Factories
Population and the Cities • People move to cities seeking better jobs - 1970 population (52 million) doubles by 2000
2 Oil and Manufacturing • Gulf oil reserves help Mexico develop industrial economy, manufacturing - many new factories along U.S. border • Maquiladoras—factories that assemble imported materials - export products (electronics, clothes) to U.S. • Part of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) with U.S., Canada - prosperity through trade expected
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Mexican Life Today
Emigration • 2,000-mile border with U.S.; many workers travel to U.S. - separates families; workers in U.S. send money, return with savings
Employment and Education • Growing population, government policies create a shortage of jobs - many Mexicans migrate to U.S. for work, but can’t get good jobs • School attendance is improving; 85% of school-age kids in class
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Section 2: Central America and the Caribbean
• Native peoples, Europeans, and Africans have shaped the culture of this region • The economies of the region are based primarily on agriculture and tourism
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Section 2: Central America and the Caribbean
Native and Colonial Central America
A Cultural Hearth • Cultural hearth—place from which important ideas spread - often heartland, or place of culture’s origin • Mayan civilization spread throughout Central America - unknown why Maya abandoned many cities in 800s
Mayan Influence • Built cities, temples in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras - city-states were ruled by god-kings - trade, religious activities centered in cities
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Continued Native and Colonial Central America
Mayan Influence • Center of Mayan civilization was Tikal in northern Guatemala - alliances, trade spread influence over region, Mexico to El Salvador
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Continued Native and Colonial Central America
The Spanish in Central America • Spain ruled until mid-1800s, with Mexico governing Central America - Mexico declared independence in 1821 • United Provinces of Central America—formed in 1823 - Central America declared independence from Mexico • United Provinces split apart by late 1830s - El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras - Panama later broke from Colombia; Belize from British Honduras
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Native and Colonial Caribbean
Caribbean Influences • In 1492 Columbus thought he’d reached East Indies, found “Indians” - Caribbean island natives were the Taino • Spanish establish sugar plantations, use Taino as forced labor - disease, mistreatment kill many Taino - Spanish bring in African slaves, who then influence Caribbean culture
A Colonial Mosaic • By 1800s Spanish, French, English, Danish, Dutch all claim islands - sought profits from sugar trade, depended on African slaves
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Continued Native and Colonial Caribbean
Caribbean Independence • First Latin American independence movement is Haitian slave revolt - French colony’s sugar industry worked by African slaves - Toussaint L’Ouverture leads rebellion in 1790s, takes over government - Haiti achieves independence from France in 1804
4 • 1898 Spanish-American War gives Cuba independence from Spain - becomes self-governed in 1902 • Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago become independent from Britain in 1962
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Cultural Blends
Culture of Central America • Blends Native American and Spanish settlers’ influences • Spanish language, religion (Catholicism) still dominant today - took land from natives, cleared it to plant new crops such as wheat - built farms, ranches; moved natives off land and into new towns
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Continued Cultural Blends
Culture of the Caribbean • European influences mixed with African, Native American cultures • Most people are descendents of African slaves who worked plantations - greatly affected culture: village life, markets, choice of crops
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Continued Cultural Blends
Culture of the Caribbean • Religions include Catholic, Protestant, and: - Santeria—combines African, Catholic elements - Voodoo practiced on Haiti; Rastafarianism based in Jamaica • Spanish spoken on the most populous islands - Cuba (11 million), Dominican Republic (8.5 million) • French spoken in Haiti (6 million), English in Jamaica (3 million) • Some Dutch and Danish also spoken in the region
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Economics: Jobs and People
Costs of Colonialism • Colonialism left laborers poor while planters got rich • Economies hurt by falling sugar trade, export of natural resources
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5 Continued Economics: Jobs and People
Farming and Trade • Sugar cane is Caribbean’s largest export crop - also bananas, citrus, coffee, spices • Poor crop-labor pay leaves Caribbean’s per-capita income very low • Central America plantations produce 10% of world’s coffee, bananas - mining and forest resources are also exported • Panama Canal cuts through land bridge, connects Atlantic, Pacific - canal traffic makes Panama an important crossroads of world-trade
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Continued Economics: Jobs and People
Where People Live and Why • Both Central America, Caribbean have populations of 30–40 million • In Central America most people work on farms, live in rural areas • Many islands in the Caribbean are densely populated - people in urban areas seek tourism jobs, often end up in slums
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Popular Culture, Tourism, and Jobs
Music of the Caribbean • Trinidad’s steel drum calypso music has elements from Africa, Spain • Jamaican reggae music deals with social, religious issues - has roots in American, African music
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Continued Popular Culture, Tourism, and Jobs
Tourism and the Informal Economy • Population growth means high unemployment, especially among young • Tourism is important; provides hotel, resort, restaurant, guide jobs • Informal economy—jobs outside official channels: street vending, etc. - provides small income, no benefits or protection for workers
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Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America
• Native peoples and settlers from Spain have shaped the culture of South
6 America. • Regional economic cooperation will help raise people’s standards of living.
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Section 3: Spanish-Speaking South America
Conquest and the End of Spanish Rule
Languages • Spanish-speaking nations: - Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador - Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela • Suriname is Dutch-speaking; French Guiana is part of France
The Inca • Inca—great civilization built in the harsh terrain of the Andes • From their capital at Cuzco, Peru the Incas established an empire - by 1500, empire stretched 2,500 miles along west coast of continent
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Continued Conquest and the End of Spanish Rule
The Spanish Conquest • Pizarro conquers Incas for Spain; wants Incan gold, silver • Forces natives to work mines, farms; many abused, worked to death - moves Inca to plantations, disrupting families, communities • Spanish replaces Inca’s Quechua language, millions still speak it
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Continued Conquest and the End of Spanish Rule
Independence Movements
• South American countries seek independence in early 1800s - Simón Bolívar helps liberate Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia - José de San Martín leads Argentina, Chile, Peru • Argentina and Chile first to gain independence - farthest from Lima, center of Spanish control • Geography (mountains, rain forests) keeps countries from unifying - limited interaction means underdevelopment, political instability
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7 Continued Conquest and the End of Spanish Rule
Government by the Few • Since independence, many countries governed by oligarchy or military rule - authoritarian rule delays development of democracy - effects of colonialism: strong armies, weak economies, class divisions
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A Cultural Mosaic
Varied and Separate • South America is a complex mosaic; cultures adjacent but separate
Literature • A strong literary heritage; 20th century novelists world famous • Colombia’s Gabriel García Márquez wins 1982 Nobel Literature prize
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Continued A Cultural Mosaic
Music • Popular music combines Indian, African, European elements • Many cities have symphonies and opera companies
Arts and Crafts • Pottery, textiles, glass- and metalwork - decorate with folk art, Indian religious symbols - Indians weave llama, alpaca wool ponchos
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Economics: Resources and Trade
Economies of the Region • Wide variety of products due to resources, land, climate, vegetation - Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana: crops; Colombia, Venezuela: oil - Peru: fishing; Ecuador: shrimp; Bolivia: tin, zinc, copper - Argentina, Uruguay: agriculture; Paraguay: soybeans, cotton, hides
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Continued Economics: Resources and Trade
8 Chile’s Success Story • Engages in global trade; largest export is copper • Exports its produce north; harvest is during North American winter • Works for regional economic cooperation; Mercosur associate member
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Education and the Future
Literacy in South America • Spanish-speaking South American countries have high literacy rates - better than Central America, Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil - 90% in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay with rates for women as high as men
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Continued Education and the Future
The Case of Chile • 95% adult literacy rate, 98% for young people • All children ages 6–13 attend school; free public education • General Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 coup undermined higher education - since Pinochet left in 1990, universities are rebuilding standards
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Section 4: Brazil
• Native peoples, Portuguese, and Africans have shaped Brazil. • Brazil has the largest territory and the largest population of any country in Latin America.
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Section 4: Brazil
History: A Divided Continent
Native Peoples and Portuguese Conquest
• Treaty of Tordesillas—1494 agreement between Spain and Portugal - gives Portugal control of what would become Brazil • 1–5 million natives in area before colonists arrive in early 1500s • No gold, silver, so colonists clear forests for sugar plantations - settle coast, put natives to work on plantations in interior - natives die of diseases, so African slaves brought in
9 - today Brazil is mix of European, African, native ancestry
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Continued History: A Divided Continent
Independence for Brazil • Portuguese colony from 1500 to 1822 - Napoleon invades Portugal in 1807 - Portuguese royal court moves to Brazil • Brazil seeks independence after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815 - Brazilians petition Dom Pedro, son of Portugal’s king, to rule - Dom Pedro agrees, declares independence in September 1822
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A National Culture
The People of Brazil • Today 200,000 native peoples remain in Amazon rain forest • Immigrants come from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Syria - largest Japanese population outside Japan
Language and Religion • Portuguese is spoken; largest Catholic population in world - 20% Protestant; others practice mix of African beliefs, Catholicism
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Continued A National Culture
Architecture of Brasília • In 1957 Oscar Niemeyer begins designing new capital - set 600 miles inland in order to draw people to interior
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An Economic Giant Awakens
An Industrial Power • Driven by an abundance of natural resources - iron, bauxite, tin, manganese - also gold, silver, titanium, chromite, tungsten, quartz - electricity from power plants on numerous rivers, including Amazon - large reserves of oil, natural gas • Highly industrialized, including steel, automobile plants
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Continued An Economic Giant Awakens
Migration to the Cities • Vast gap between rich and poor; poor seek jobs in cities - urbanization occurs as people are pushed off land, manufacturing grows - in 1960, 22% lived in cities; in 1995, 75% lived in cities
Migration to the Interior • 80% live within 200 miles of ocean, but there’s been a move inward • Interior economy is based on farming of cerrado—fertile grasslands
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Brazilian Life Today
From Carnival to Martial Arts • Carnival—colorful feast day in Brazil and Caribbean countries - features music of the samba—Brazilian dance with African influences • Capoeira—Brazilian martial art and dance with African origins
City Life in Rio de Janeiro • Rio de Janeiro is cultural center of Brazil • Lovely setting: Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, Copacabana Beach • Poverty creates favelas (slums), crime, drug abuse
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